willis



(No Model.) J. M..W,ILLIS.

DOGUMENTAL FILE.

' No. 369,899. Patented Sept. 13, 1887.

INVENTOR ATTURNEYS.

pher, Washington. a. c.

' NITED STATES PATENT JOHN M. WILLIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DOCUMENTAL FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,899, datedSeptember 13, 1887.

Application filed May 18, 1887. Serial N 0, 238,610.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M, WILLIs, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented a new and Improved Documental File, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in documental files in whichfolding front and back flaps are provided with means for binding thedocuments removably therein; and it has for its object to render a fileof this class dust, water, and animal proof, to provide it witheasily-interchangeable backs to accom: modate varying quantities ofdocuments, and to embody other useful features in the general structureof the file, so as to particularly adapt it for the reception andpreservation of legal documents.

The invention consists in a novel construction and combination of parts,as hereinafter fully described and then definitely claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a file embodying my improvements. Fig.2is a detail view of one of the interchangeable backs. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section taken on the line a: 00, Fig. 1.

In carrying my invention into effectI make the face and back flaps, A B,of the file of plates of equal size, formed of sheet metal-es t1n-havingthe front and side edges curled inward to receive the stiffening-wire O,as shown.

The face flap, A, is made in two sections, A A, connected by atransverse hinge-j oint, D, and the rear edge parts of the back flap, B,and of the section A of the face flap are bent at right angles towardeach other to form flanges E and F, respectively.

The flanges E and F are received snugly in opposite sides of a narrowsocket, H, formed in one of the interchangeable backs G or G, thesockets in the different backs being of varying depth, so that the flapscan be adjusted at various distances apart to accommodate any thicknessof the pile of documents I held therebetween.

I form each of the backs G G of a straight (No model.)

narrow strip of metal having its end parts returned parallel uponitself, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the socket H, before mentioned,being thus formed between the body of the strip and its returned endparts. I also cover the body of the strip with paper or fabric, J, sothat indexing or classifying marks may be readily produced upon the backof each file.

The documents may be bound removably in the file by the usualfastening-studs, K, which are passed upward through holes L near therear edges of the flaps, and through the documents, and their ends bentoutward upon the fixed section A of the face flap in the usual way. Thesection A of the face flap can thus be opened to gain access to thedocuments, while the latter are held firmly in place; or documents maybe removed orreplaced at will by bending up the studs K and removing theentire face flap, its flange E being withdrawn from the socket H.

For completely incasing the documents within the file thus formed, Iprovide a U- shaped tin or other metal strip, L, which is held edgewisebetween the flaps A B entirely around the front and side edges of thesame, with its free ends abutting against the inside of the back G atthe ends thereof, and its up per and lower edges restingjust inside ofand against the wired edges of the flaps, which edges thus formbordering-shoulders to hold the casing-strip L in place. Eyelet-sM arelet into the front edges of the flaps A and B to re ceive cords N,which, when tied, hold all the parts firmly together.

With this construction the documents are rendered perfectly inaccessibleto dust, moisture, rats, or other destructive elements. The metallicflaps may also be covered-with paper, fabric, or other suitablematerial.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An adjustable documental file consisting of separable front and backflaps and a number of detachable backs of variable widths for connectingand holding said flaps at different distances apart, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination, in a file, of front and back flaps, flanges on theirrear edges projecting toward each other, and a removable back its freeends abutting against the said back G 10 socketed to receive saidflanges, substantially and its upper and lower edges resting within asshown and described. and in contact with said shoulders, substan- 3. Thecombination, in a file, of the front tially as shown and described. andback flaps, A B, adapted to fold together and having inwardly-projectingshoulders on JOHN M WILLIS their front and side edges, a back, G,connect- I WVitnesses:

ing the rear edges of said flaps, and an incas- CLARENCE L. BURGER,

ing-strip, L, held between the said flaps, with O. SEDGWIOK;

